EU Project
We work in partnership with Wandsworth Borough Council to offer information and advice about Brexit and related issues to EU citizens living in Wandsworth. We help individual residents to secure their rights to live in the UK by applying to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status). Hear from Maria and Tony – who are originally from Portugal but have been long term residents in the UK – how we can help and why it is important to apply.
Please sign up to one of our next free information events on ‘EU Settlement Scheme and the rights of EU nationals’. The events will be delivered via Zoom and registration on Eventbrite in advance is required.
English – 25 November from 10am to 11.30am
Register here
Romanian – 24 November from 10am to 11.30am
Register here
Italian – 26 November from 10am to 11.30am
Register here
Children and Families – 2 December from 10am to 11.30am
Register here
EU Elderly & Long-Term Residents – 10 December from 2pm to 3.30pm
Register here
More sessions will be announced soon. For up-to-date information, please join our emailing list here.
Coronavirus closure
Due to the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) we can only help you by phone or email as we’ve closed our offices to the public and have cancelled our face-to-face outreach.
Other services have also closed and you may find it difficult to get help applying for settled status at the moment. You can still contact us to talk about how we can help.
We’ll send out updates via our mailing list when this changes.
What you need to know
The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020 and is in a transition period until the end of the year.
If you’re an EU citizen living in the UK your rights haven’t changed. Until the end of the year the current rules, including free movement, will continue to apply. You’ll still be able to use your EU passport or national identity card to travel. You’ll also be free to live, study, work and access benefits and services here, if you’re eligible for them.
You should apply to the EU Settlement Scheme before 31 December 2020 as this is when your rights could change, and some benefits might stop if you don’t have settled status. You need to apply even if you:
- were born in the UK but are not a British citizen
- have a permanent residence document
- are a family member of an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen who does not need to apply
- are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen with a British citizen family member.
You don’t need to apply if you have:
- indefinite leave to enter the UK
- indefinite leave to remain in the UK
- British or Irish citizenship.
There have been no changes the above dates due to the coronavirus outbreak and the Home Office continues to process applications. However, some support services and application routes have changed.
Applying for settled status
You can apply by downloading the ‘EU Exit: ID Document Check’ app on your phone. To use the app you need a biometric identity document and either an Android phone or an iPhone 7 or above. You can also send in your identity documents by post if you don’t have biometric ID or a phone that can run the app.
To be eligible for settled status you usually need to have lived in the UK for at least 6 months in any 12 month period for 5 years in a row. You need to prove this when you apply but you can do this by giving your National Insurance number, which allows for an automated check of your residence based on tax and benefit records. If this check is successful you won’t need to provide any documents.
If you’ve not lived here for 5 years in a row you may still be eligible for pre-settled status, which gives you fewer rights but can be upgraded to settled status at a later date.
The deadline for applying is 30 June 2021 but you should apply before the end of the year because your rights could change on 1 January 2021.
Information about settled status
GOV.UK has detailed guidance about settled status and this guidance is available in EU languages. Citizens Advice has also published useful information about staying in the UK after Brexit.
You can sign up to our mailing list for updates and the Home Office also has a mailing list for updates about Brexit and the status of EU citizens in the UK.
Get help scanning your documents
Wandsworth Council have been offering a document scanning service but this is currently closed. Similar services in other parts of the country are also closed.
Get help applying for settled status
If you or someone you know can’t apply without assistance the Home Office has funded a national network of 57 charities and voluntary organisations to help. In Wandsworth this service is provided by South West London Law Centres. You have to be vulnerable or disadvantaged in order to get help from this service.
South West London Law Centre are now only providing advice by phone and email. This means they may not be able to help you apply for settled status at the moment.
Get help from us
We can help you:
- understand your options for securing your rights in the UK
- apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (settled and pre-settled status)
- resolve other issues relating to being an EU national
You can call our Adviceline on 0300 330 1169 or use the form below to contact us.